


Insomniac Friendship

by aspiring_simp



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: #a little bit gay #insomnia #big boy needs a good rest #insomniac besties amiright, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 13:34:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30056241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aspiring_simp/pseuds/aspiring_simp
Summary: Optimus Prime, the renowned never-shall-I-be-held-down leader of the Autobots spends his night burning out his optics with insomnia. He's existing silently when Cade, who forgot to go to bed, wakes up. They chat for a moment, but Cade's achievement in the end is helping our curvy metal man have sweet dreams.
Relationships: Optimus Prime & Cade Yeager, Optimus Prime/Cade Yeager
Kudos: 14





	Insomniac Friendship

**Author's Note:**

> wow I haven't posted in a while. thank you school (:

Calm snores and an electronic buzz barely hid the soupy silence that filled Prime’s head. His optics were trained on the lamp that hummed lowly as it hunched over Cade’s cluttered desk. He hadn’t bothered to adjust his optics’ sensitivity to suit the dark barn, so that reliable little overworked lamp was the only thing illuminating. It perched on the table like a tired little vulture. The edges of its light provided a warped view of the various projects and objects around it, giving an odd but peaceful feeling. He couldn’t tell what the lumpy apparitions were supposed to be. He lightened his optics just a smidge so that he could see what it was; he still couldn’t tell anyway. The wooden poles that panelled all over the barn stuck shadows across his legs and the rest of the barn. 

He shuttered his optics just once, his focus drifting to the sleeping man beneath the caramel light. 

He watched as Cade took a deep breath. His back rose gently, then fell slowly like a feather. 

It always made him wonder a bit, about the similarities between human and cybertronian. The things they had in common were numbered few, but those that did exist seemed a little coincidental at times. Like how Cade needed to breathe, but Optimus, despite not needing to, could mimic and replicate the sound and movement almost exactly. Even worlds apart, quite literally, they’d both been made with that function. 

His insomnia always gave him an interest in the lowliest of things, apparently the newest interest was Cade himself—or his species. It didn’t matter, he supposed, thinking back to past times. 

Only a night or two before, he’d found himself enthralled with the idea of a horizon. He was used to them, of course, and they weren’t even remotely interesting. That one lonely night, though, brimming with stars, he’d stared at the horizon lovingly despite having absolutely no curiosity prior. 

Realizing that his thoughts were straying, he brought them back to present. While he’d been lost in his secondhand awe, his optics had remained on Cade—who was beginning to wake. He shuttered his optics a few times, just to clear his head a bit. 

“Ugh....” Cade lifted his head and arms away from the desk and rubbed his forehead. He’d heard before of humans being able to unconsciously tell when one was watching them, but he’d never investigated. (Obviously.) 

Optimus stayed as deathly silent as he could. If Cade wanted to talk, he would, and his small noise was already deafening. His small friend blearily looked at him, and he dipped his helm as an easy greeting. One of the gears in his neck made a shallow scraping noise and he internally cringed, but Cade didn’t appear to notice. 

“I didn’t even manage to turn off my lamp, huh?” His voice was deeper than usual, but shaky. 

“Indeed”, he answered, “you did not.” He didn’t try too hard to hide his sonorous voice; it would have an odd result anyhow. 

“Mm.” Cade, too sleepy to manage much more than a small smile, stretched and leaned back on his chair. “What’s the time?” 

“Four o’clock. Only one and a half hour’s difference to when you usually wake.” 

He nodded his thanks and twisted his chair to face Optimus, who looked at him intently—he knew staring was something of a bad habit, but Cade hadn’t ever taken offense to it so he assumed he didn’t mind. 

“Ya know, dude...” he yawned wide, slouching in his chair. “I thought you were just naturally an early riser. I don’t think it’s normal to be wide awake at four in the morning, even for you.” 

“You’re right. It... isn’t normal”, He bluntly replied. Cade nodded, understanding the effect of an odd sleep schedule. 

“So, what’s keeping you up?” Apparently, he was talkative now. Optimus didn’t mind though, as he now had a pleasant distraction. 

“Nothing, which is the problem. I’m either staring at something or alone with my own odd thoughts.” 

“Yeah, I can definitely relate. I used to always sleep well if someone else was around. Hey...” He stood from his chair and stumbled towards Optimus. “You mind if I sleep in your hand or... something? Maybe it’d work to have someone else nearby?” 

“I don't mind. I might as well try.” He extended a servo to pick Cade up, and then moved Cade to the space between his neck and shoulder. He had often let Sam Witwicky sleep there when he needed a place away from his parents; and he didn’t want to accidentally squeeze Cade in his hand. 

“Sleep well, Cade. Should I wake you at your usual time?” 

“Nah... I’ve got nothing on tomorrow—ah, today, technically.” Cade shifted himself to get comfortable. 

“Well... goodnight. Good morning?” He let his optics power down gently. 

“G’night, big guy”, Cade chuckled a bit.


End file.
